RANGERS supporters chiefs want their players to boycott the Scottish national side until the SFA overturn "ridiculous" sanctions against their club.

RANGERS supporters chiefs want their players to boycott the Scottish national side until the SFA overturn "ridiculous" sanctions against their club.

The Ibrox club were last night hit with a £160,000 fine and 12-month embargo on signing players aged over 17 after being found guilty of five charges in relation to their finances and the appointment of Craig Whyte as chairman.

The Rangers Supporters Trust have accused the SFA judicial panel of trying to "cripple" their club as they consider a series of protests and boycotts.

In a statement today, the trust blasted: "All options are on the table and no Rangers player or supporter can credibly play in or support the national side until this ridiculous decision is reversed."

Fans' groups will now consider protests including a boycott of the SFA's sponsors and the national team.

The club's administrators, who have vowed to appeal, have warned the sanctions could seriously undermine attempts to rebuild with the two interested parties still to submit finalised bids.

A statement from the trust read: "This is a shameful decision that has been taken with the sole purpose of crippling Rangers Football Club.

"It is completely unacceptable and fans groups will be meeting to explore how we jointly express our opposition to this decision in the strongest possible terms.

"This could include protesting at Hampden on on the day of the Scottish Cup Final as well as boycotting SFA sponsors William Hill, Carling and Vauxhall.

"All options are on the table and no Rangers player or supporter can credibly play in or support the national side until this ridiculous decision is reversed."

The trust hit out at the timing of the SFA action.

The governing body wrote to Rangers on December 1 asking for clarification over Whyte's declaration 24 hours earlier that he had previously been disqualified as a director, a fact which emerged almost six weeks previously in a BBC documentary.

The SFA announced they were launching a full independent inquiry on February 17, three days after the club went into administration.

The findings of the inquiry led to several charges against the club and Whyte, who has been banned for life from Scottish football and fined £200,000.

The trust statement read: "Despite calls to delay this action the SFA persisted with this case while the club was not in a position to adequately defend itself and had the SFA done its job in the first place on Craig Whyte then this entire saga could have been avoided.

"Rangers supporters are appalled by this decision which brings shame on the SFA and the national game."

The Rangers Supporters Assembly made a similar point.

A statement read: "Just when the club needs the SFA to help it... they kick us when we are down.

"Why did the SFA not investigate when they said they had suspicions before Christmas rather than wait until the club went into administration?"

The assembly later expanded on their statement, accusing the SFA of shirking their responsibilities when Whyte completed his takeover in May last year.

"The Independent Panel of Rangers FC Directors raised huge doubts about Craig Whyte's ability to run the club on a financially sound basis yet the SFA chose not to intervene," a statement read.

"That shows the inadequacy of their governance and they have shifted that onus to Rangers FC and compounded their incompetence by imposing a significant punishment.

"The combination of a huge fine and the ban on signing players for 12 months is a devastating blow.

"Surely the role of a governing body is to help and support member clubs as best they can.

"We do not want to run away from our responsibilities and we accept that any wrongdoing needs to be dealt with but to do it now when we are trying desperately to exit administration is brutal in the extreme."